Mmegi

Hospitality workers decry ‘slave labour’ conditions

Beauty and the beast: Hospitality workers say beneath the tourist wonders lies work-place heartache PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Beauty and the beast: Hospitality workers say beneath the tourist wonders lies work-place heartache PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The Botswana Hotel, Catering, Travel and Tourism Workers Union (BHCTTWU) has levelled allegations of employee exploitation against the tourism and hospitality industry, citing problematic practices such as short-term contracts, low wages, long hours, and predatory staff rationalisation.

Presenting the laundry list of issues at a press briefing held amidst the Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU), Nicholas Motiki, the BHCTTWU executive secretary, said the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the catalysts of the growing employee exploitation.

“Most of the big hotel chains in Botswana implemented ‘staff rationalisation’ during that period and have not looked back, regardless of the end of the pandemic,” he said.

Editor's Comment
Declaration of assets, liabilities could possibly curb corruption

It’s troubling, however, that those pursued by this craft busting agency and other security organs, are seemingly individuals who are supposed to be providing exemplary leadership. The alleged culprits are also mainly ex-Cabinet members associated with the previous ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) while others are former senior public officers. This whole development creates an appetite for the enforcement of the Declaration of Assets and...

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